## Project Guidelines

- Do not call the task done until it is fully complete and tested.
- Always write tests for new features and bug fixes.
- Do not dismiss bug as a pre-existing" issue even if it was present before your change. It does not matter, it's still your responsibility to fix it. When you see a bug, fix it. Don't ignore it.
- Always build a feature in a new branch. Do not push directly to the main branch. Always check current branch before pushing.
- Delete every temporary file, scratch script, probe, backup copy and build artifact you created
  before committing. Check `git status` for strays that are yours.

## Coding Guidelines

  - Make the smallest change that achieves the goal. Do not refactor, rename, or restructure
    code you were not asked to touch, and do not add abstraction for a second caller that does
    not exist yet.
  - Keep code simple and easy to read. Code should read without commentary: name things so the
    intent is obvious rather than explaining an unclear name in a comment.
  - Write zero comments first. Add one only where the code genuinely cannot carry the intent,
    and then say WHY, never WHAT. A comment restating the line below it is noise.
  - Create WIP pull requests when you start working on a feature, and update the PR as you make progress

## Testing Guidelines

  - Tests are first-class code and are held to the same standard as the code they cover, or
    higher. A weak test is worse than no test: it reports safety that does not exist.
  - A regression test must fail against the bug it covers. Confirm it fails before the fix,
    and say so. If a test cannot produce a red, say that plainly instead of implying it did.
  - Assert the real outcome, not a proxy for it. Prefer asserting what reached the driver, the
    file, or the wire over asserting an intermediate struct.
  - Never weaken an assertion to make a test pass, and never change what a test is testing in
    order to accommodate a signature change. Its original subject must survive.
  - Carry intent through test names and assertions rather than through prose comments.

## Git Branch Rules

  - No slashes in branch names (e.g., use `fix-something` not `fix/something`).

## PR Rules

  - Simple PR title, few-line description. Never write a wall of text. Nobody reads it.
  - Everything lowercase in PR titles, descriptions, and comments.

### PR Description Rules

  - Plain text only. No markdown, no headings, no bullets, no bold, no code blocks, no emoji.
  - A few lines, that's it. Don't write an essay.
  - Super casual, like you're telling a teammate over chat. Lowercase is fine.
  - Don't polish it. A few typos and loose grammar are fine and preferred over something that reads like a template.
  - Keep the facts right even though the tone is casual. Casual is about the voice, not about being vague or wrong.

## Git Commit Rules

  - Commit after every small, atomic change. Each commit should touch 1-3 files max.
  - Use conventional commit format: `feat|fix|refactor|docs|test|chore|ci(scope): message`
  - Never use `git add .` or `git add -A`. Always stage specific files by name.
  - Keep commits small: aim for under 20 lines changed per commit.
  - Don't batch multiple unrelated changes into one commit.
  - Commit early and often. A working 5-line change is better than a pending 200-line change.